Book end



H. MARK BooK END March s, 1929.

Filed May 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Shea?l l n ucm to@ @litouvmjf 2 Sheets-Sheet H. MARK BooK END Filed May 2, 1928 v I y 1mm 8 March 5, 1929.

Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

HOBART MARK, F SPENCERVILIE, OHIO.

BOOK END.

Application filed.A May 2,

The object ofv .this invention is to provide a support for books which may be easily moved upon a table and adjusted to accommodate any desired number Vof books within the capacity of the device and act efficiently to firmly support the books whether a greater or smaller number of books be -placed therein. The invention provides end supports for arow of books which are so connected as to be prevented from completely separating and to automatically move together as books may be removed. rl`he invention also provides end supports of box-like form in which the expansible connections will be housed when the end supports are brought together. Incidental objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a booksupporting device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through one ofthe end supports,

Fig. 3 is a view partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view partly broken away and with parts removed;

Fig. 5 is a detail showing' a slight modification, and

Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the end and stop brackets.

In carrying out the invention, there are provided two end members which are duplicates in construction and each of which comprises a lower box-like member 1 and a hollow standard 2 rising therefrom at the inner edge thereof, said standard being given any desired ornamental configuration and being otherwise ornamented so as to impart an attractive appearance to the device. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the standards and base members are preferably cast in one integral structure and the lower ends of the standards open into the lower box-like base members, the opposed or inner sides of the bases being open. Within the lower portion of each standard are brackets 3 receiving a pintle rod 4L having one end squared or flatsided to be held in the corresponding bracket non-rotatably and having its other end equipped with a lock nut 5 adapted to be turned home against the corresponding bracket, as shown in Fig. 2. whereby the pintle rod will be firmly secured in place. Looseguiding 1928. Serial No. 274,596.

ly mounted upon each pintle rod is a hollow roller or drum 6 and coiled about the rod within the drum is a torsion spring 7 having one end attached to the rod and its opposite end attached to the drum so that the spring tends constantly to turn the drum about the rod and wind on the drum a flexible strap 8 which is adapted to bridge the space between the two standards and be always held in a taut condition. The confronting walls of the standards are formed with beads or circular flanges 9 whereby convex surfaces are presented to the strap 8 to minimize the wear thereon as the strap is wound and unwound. The opposed faces of the standards are preferably covered with felt or other cushioning material, as indicated at l0, and the strap 8 may be of felt, leather or any other material which may be preferred.

Within each base member, there is secured a transverse bracket or partition 11 which is spaced from the outer closed end of the base member, the space, indicated at 12, constituting a guide channel as will presently appear. Projecting inwardly from the upper edge of each bracket 11 is an arm 13 having a longitudinal slot 14E therein and having its free extremity turned downwardly to provide a stop lip 15, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. Slidably engaged in the slot 14 is a stud or rivet 16 which constitutes a pivotal connection between the end links 17 of a lazy tongs which extends from and between the two boxes and is adapted to expand or contract accordingly as the end members of the device are moved apart or toward each other. The free extremities of the end links 17 project across the partitions or brackets 11 and are equipped with rollers 18 adapted to travel in the channels 12 in an obvious manner. When relative movement is imparted to the supporting -end members, er1- ga gement between the end walls of said members and the rollers or between the rollers and the partition will be effected and, consequently, the rollers will tendto move with the end members but inasmuch as they are free, they will at the same time travel transversely of said members within the channels 12 so that pivotal movement of the several links of the lazy tongs will occur and th'e tongs will be expanded or collapsed. The engagement of the pivots or rivets 16 in the slots 14 will hold the lazy tongs to a longitudinal path and at the same time will limit the expanding or collapsing action so that with outwardly projecting side flanges 19 having vertical slots 20 in theirlower portions and to the upper end portion of each flange 19 is pivotally attached one end link 21 of a lazy tongs which constitutes a side expansible connection between the end supporting members of the device. The other end link 22 of the side lazy tongs carries at its free end a pin 23 which is slidably engaged in the adjacent slot 20, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that, when the end supporting members aie moved. toward or from each other, the side connections will be contracted or expanded and equal movement ot the two end members will result. Moreover, the expansion or contraction of the side tongs will be positively effected inasmuch as one end link is positively pivotally attached to the end bracket or partition while the mating link is slidably connected therewith and, consequently, has its free'end at liberty to move vertically. The partitions 11 are provided with base flanges 24 through which and the bottoms of the respective boxes fastening bolts or screws are inserted in an obvious manner. It will be understood that the books are supported on edge between the standards 2 and rest upon the strap 8 and to counteract the tendency ot the strap to sag under the weight of the books a cross bar 25 is connected, as indicated at 26, to the horizontal lazy tongs to project beyond the sides of the same, and in the form shown in Fig. 4 the ends of this cross bar are'reduced, as indicated at 27, to engage hollow rivets connecting the upper ends of the middle links of the side lazy tongs. The several tongs are thus connected in a fixed relation so that they will all move equally and the movement of the two end supports will likewise always be equal.

Instead of having the cross bar foi-ined with reduced ends, as shown in Fig. 4, l may einplo the construction shown in Fig. 5 in which the cross bar 28 has down-turned ends or lugs 29 which may be pivotally attached to the central links of the side tongs. The standards 2 are preferably hollow, as shown, and if desired doors, indicated at 30, may be provided in the sides or tops of these standards so as to permit the interior thereof to be utilized as containers for small articles, a shelf 31 being provided within each standard below the door therein to support the articles and prevent them dropping onto the res ective drums or winding rollers.

upporting rollers 32 are rotatably mounted in any desired or approved manner upon the bottoms of the base members so that the device may be easily moved upon a table. and the provision of these rollers will -avoid the annoying buckling of table covers when the device is moved. Handles 33 of any approved form may be rovided upon the boxes 1 at the outer sides o the standards so as to facilitate the expanding oil collapsing of the device and also permit the device to be conveniently carried or lifted when necessary.

Book ends constructed in accordance with my invention are neat in appearance and are efiicient in operation. The lack of weight 'due to the hollow construction of the end members is overcome by the provision of the ex ansible connections which add weight over t iose devices which consist merely of a pair of weighted standards which are entirely disconnected. The strap 8 supports the books above the surface of a table or other article of furniture and the several lazy tongs furnish a floor or reinforcement below the strap which will counteract the flexibility of the strap and impart iirmness to the support for the books.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. Book ends comprising hollow standards and boxes carrying the standards, winding drums within the standards, a strap attached to said drums and bridging the space between the standards, and foldable connections having their ends held within the boxes, said connections extending from and between the boxes and being automatically housed within the boxes when the standards and boxes are moved together.

2. Book ends comprising hollow end members, transverse partitions in said members spaced from the outer ends thereof, a horizontally disposed lazy tongs extending between the end members and having its end links supported by said partitions and guided` between the partitions and the respectively adjacent outer ends of the boxes.

3. Book ends comprising boxes, transverse partitions in said boxes spaced from the outer ends of the saine, and vertically disposed lazy tongs extending between the boxes and having their end elements pivotally attached to the ends ot' the respectively adjacent partitions and the mating end elements movable vertically upon said partitions.

4. Book ends comprising a pair of boxes, transverse partitions secured in said boxes in spaced relation to the outer ends thereof, outwardly projecting flanges at the ends of said partitions, said flanges having vertical slots in their lower portions, and lazy tongs extending between the boxes in vertical planes adjacent the sides thereof and each having one end element pivoted to the upper portion of an adjacent flange and its mating end element slidably engaged in the slot iii said flange.

5. Bootk ends comprising a pair of boxes, transverse partitions secured in said boxes in spaced relation to the outer ends thereof, an arm projecting inwardly centrally from each partition and provided with a longitudinal slot, a lazy tongs extending between the boxes in a horizontal plane and having its end elements pivoted together with the pivot playing in the longitudinal slot ofsaid arm and the free ends of said elements extending over the adjacent partition, and rollers carried by the free ends of said elements and guided by and between the adjacent partition and end wall of the box.

6. Book ends comprising boxes, a lazy tongs extending between the boxes in a horizontal plane and having its, end elements held within the boxes, other lazy tongs extending between the boxes in vert-ical planes at the sides thereof, and a cross bar connected to the first-mentioned lazy tongs at the center of the same and having its ends connected with the second-mentioned lazy tongs at the center thereof.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

HOBART MARK. [L a] 

